


The Ghost of You

by InfamousPansy



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Dead David "Dave" Katz, Ghost David "Dave" Katz, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, M/M, Non-Binary Klaus Hargreeves, POV David "Dave" Katz, The Mausoleum (Umbrella Academy), Umbrella Academy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27669547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfamousPansy/pseuds/InfamousPansy
Summary: Klaus grows up with his own guardian angel. Just Dave is no angel, in fact, he's the ghost of Klaus' future lover. What harm could that bring? Right.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 2
Kudos: 76





	The Ghost of You

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all,  
> I hope you enjoy my story.  
> The title is taken from My Chemical Romance's 'The Ghost of You'  
> I have written Klaus using they/them pronouns considering Robert Sheehan's confirmation of Klaus' gender identity.  
> ***There are some trigger warnings for this chapter. These include mentions of drug use, abuse, addiction, character death etc. if I have forgotten any please inform me.
> 
> Anyway enjoy my story, and if you like this story i have another TUA story called "Mommy Issues"

The problem with having problems, is someone always seems to have it worse and well- despite the whole being dead thing, Dave was a true believer that compared to others, his problems weren’t that bad. Sure, he had been shot in the chest, killed, separated from the love of his life, and completely isolated from society, but as he stared at the writing scrawled across his partner’s walls, Dave couldn’t help but see his issues become irrelevant. After all, if the ramblings upon these bedroom walls proved anything, it was that Klaus' problems heavily outweighed Dave’s own.

Often seen as the drunken thoughts of a madman, the large array of words were often ignored by the members of the Umbrella Academy, however, Dave knew that these thoughts were intended to be seen. Just like a tattoo, these words were displayed on the walls to memorialize Klaus’ legacy, letting it be known, who exactly Klaus was.

_Consume everything, consume yourself._

_Wants, desires, nothing else matters._

_My skin crawls with seething visions of the night._

_It makes me feel dark + small._

_Electrify me, you cannot kill the willing to die._

_Obey obey obey oh you can obey._

_What is the truth of everything?_

_Sorry… I tried to wake up for you, but sleep took me again._

_Faceless and nameless…_

_How do I know who I am?_

It was evident from the words that Klaus used their walls as a canvas for essential questioning, and considering the corresponding occult décor, they must have intended to promote this thinking in others as well. But despite this, the words held pain, and Dave couldn’t help but feel somewhat guilty for that emotion.

It was not like Dave had intended to be in this situation, but he supposed every decision he made had led to this point, so who was he to complain. When the little girl on the bike had given the option of jumping into the unknown or remaining on earth to settle any unfinished business, Dave chose the latter. It was a stupid decision really, one that was made on impulsivity rather than proper thought. Dave thought he would just float down to Earth, visit his partner, _The Séance_ , have a ghostly kiss, and head on his merry way whenever Klaus was ready to rid him, but he was presented with one problem. Klaus returned to the future, and Dave was stuck in 1967. But as they say, love is all about patience! So, Dave remained optimistic.

Unfortunately, being a ghost wasn’t as easy as Dave had hoped. It had been completely and utterly frustrating. Not only did Dave have no means of communicating to the outside world, but he also couldn’t physically interact with it. It wasn’t long until Dave began to empathize with the ghosts Klaus would often describe. Primarily due to the overwhelming sense of isolation, as it was enough to drive anyone mad. Just as Dave had started to slip into insanity, Dave luckily had an eventual run in with some fellow fallen soldiers. For twenty years, the group remained together, but slowly, one by one, everyone chose to pass on, everyone but stubborn ol’ Dave, who was busy grasping at loose threads. It was hard and Dave almost thought about abandoning his desire to see Klaus, but then it happened.

It was all over the news! On the first day of October 1984, a weird phenomenon occurred; forty-three women around the world simultaneously gave birth. Dave thought nothing of it until a familiar name flashed across the screen _Reginald Hargreeves_ , the eccentric billionaire who had adopted seven of these children. Having seen this, Dave had immediately travelled cross country to and made his home in the building from Klaus’ stories, The Umbrella Academy.

Dave easily identified Klaus as baby number four by the cheeky grin upon their face. Dave smiled back, earning a small giggle from the child who reached out for Dave, respectively. Dave cooed softly, hiding his sigh as he dangled his fingers over the crib, wanting nothing more than to take the baby and protect them from the future abuse they would soon endure. But Dave was powerless, unable to prevent anything. So, instead, Dave sat back, just happy to be acknowledged by someone and watched as Klaus grew. Dave was there for all the big moments. He was there when Klaus said their first words, read their first book and even when they took their first steps. He was there when Klaus first learnt to tell a joke, how to prank their siblings and how to be sarcastic. Dave was even there to help Klaus question their gender and sexuality, to help Klaus cope with the nightmares and protect them from the scarier ghosts. Dave was always around, and due to his constant presence, Klaus developed a friendship with Dave, and soon their powers started to alter Dave’s appearance, allowing his wounds to vanish and his clothing to change into more casual attire. It was good to see Klaus’ powers grow, it made Dave so proud and Klaus would brag about how much he loved his powers, that was until the mausoleum. 

It was an ordinary summer’s night in 1997, the children had all finished their studies for the evening, eaten and were sent off to bed, but after lights out, Klaus and Diego snuck out of bed to pursue other plans. The pair wanted Doughnuts from Griddy’s, and no matter how much Dave had insisted it was a bad idea, the two went ahead with their plan. Dave wasn’t surprised when the two eight-year-olds were caught by their monkey butler, but he wished he wasnt. Because the next thing he knew the two children were whisked away for special training. Diego was forced into the tank, and Klaus into the Mausoleum.

It was then that Dave decided he hated Reginald, and Dave didn’t hate anyone. Not the soldier who killed him, or his abusive uncle or even his asshole father! But, Dave hated Reginald Hargreeves and there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do is watch helplessly as Klaus was thrown into the mausoleum, tears streaming down their face as they begged for their father to free them. They cried over and over, banging their bloody fists against the cement walls, begging for freedom before finally collapsing in a pile beside Dave, exhausted and terrified. Dave did his best to calm Klaus, recalling the techniques he had used on the older Klaus in Vietnam to calm their panic attacks and other episodes of distress.

Dave reached out for Klaus out of habit, but rather than phasing through like usual, Dave made contact Klaus’s skin. Dave was surprised but assumed Klaus's powers must increase with heightened emotions, and simply pulled the child in his arms and cradled them. Klaus although shocked by the sudden contact, buried their face in Dave’s chest, desperate to hide from the ghosts which surrounded them. Dave shot the other deceased beings a death glare as he carried Klaus to the corner, singing a lullaby which Dave's mother used to always sing to him.

“Kh’vel dir zogn bald farvos:vayl bay mir bistu sheyn, bay mir hostu kheyn, bay mir bistu eyner af der velt.”

Dave sung softly, as he recalled the last time he sang this to Klaus. Klaus had awoken mid panic, letting out a terrified scream. Immediately their fingers began clawing at their skin, as they mumbled pleas for peace. Dave had instinctively reached out of his cot, intwining his fingers with his partner’s as he quietly sang the lullaby.

“Bay mir bistu gut, bay mir hostu it, bay mir bistu tayerer fun gelt. fil sheyne meydlekh hobn shoyn gevolt nemen mikh. un fun zey ale oysgeklibn hob ikh nor dikh. vayl bay mir bistu sheyn, bay mir hostu kheyn, bay mir bistu eyner af der vel”

Just like in Vietnam, Dave held Klaus’ sleeping form, promising to protect them from the horrors surrounding them both and used the lullaby to lull them to sleep, but this time, Dave was sure to make sure he wasn’t holding Klaus when Reginald opened the doorway to the mausoleum. Just like Dave, Klaus had learnt the dangers of letting Reginald learn of any developments in their powers, and as such actively sook out methods to suppress their abilities.

So, when Klaus broke their jaw after wearing Grace’s red pumps and discovered the power of morphine, they instantly became hooked. Almost instantly, the ghosts started to fade from Klaus’s senses, and Klaus for the first time was able to experience quiet. Klaus had informed their siblings of the effect of the medication, but as Allison pointed out, Klaus still communicated with Dave and insisted that Klaus must be lying. Dave figured the close bond between him and Klaus was probably the reason the drugs didn’t affect him, similarly to what would occur with Ben in the future. But this didn’t bode well with Klaus, they so desperately wanted out of personal training and missions etc. That the next time that Klaus broke into Reginald’s liquor cabinet, they downed a whole bottle of red wine, and faked a dramatic breakdown about not being able to see Dave anymore. It was then that everyone started to take Klaus’ lack of powers seriously.

As a result, Dave spent many hours lecturing Klaus, trying to prevent the foundations to Klaus’s future addictions from forming, however, eventually Dave had grown complacent, having learnt that there was no use in fighting Klaus’s stubbornness. The pair had created a little song and dance where Klaus would do irresponsible and reckless things and Dave would pretend to not notice. It lasted for a few years before Ben joined the dead party and forced Dave’s attention towards Klaus’s behaviour.

It wasn’t surprising that Ben tried to force Dave’s intervention, he had always been a caregiver. But Dave had witnessed Klaus’s life for almost two decades and knew better than to try. But Ben had yet to give up, and honestly Dave was afraid of the day he would. But regardless of this behaviour, Dave still loved Klaus. Maybe that was why it hurt so bad when Klaus chose to push Dave away.

It happened when Klaus was a freshly sober eighteen-year-old, who had just been forced into sobriety after an indecent photo had found its way into the tabloids. After their release, Reginald had intended for Klaus to resume their Umbrella Academy responsibilities, but Klaus had other ideas. This conversation led to a fight, resulting in Klaus ignoring their father’s lecture and shoving their things into a duffle bag to leave. Dave watched sadly as Reginald backhanded Klaus, poking them with his cane before spitting venomous words at his child.

“And where do you intend on going number four? Do you honestly think someone like you would survive in the outside world? You are a child with no talents, skills or ambitions, what can you hope to achieve?”

Tears pricked Klaus’ eyes, as they shoved their father away in fear. Ignoring the stinging pain radiating through their face, they spat curses back at Reginald and ran away. Ben and Dave immediately followed, their concern for Klaus’ wellbeing clouding any other thoughts the pair had. Ben called after Klaus, begging them to stop running, but he was only met with silence. Eventually, Ben’s concerns were answered as Klaus walked inside the local police academy and sat down outside Diego’s dorm room. Dave took a seat next to Klaus as he patiently waited for Diego to come home, but Klaus chose to use the free time to light up a joint. Ben stood in front of Klaus, crossing his arms as he let out a frustrated groan.

“Klaus put that out, you’re going to get Diego in trouble.” Klaus merely hummed a response, choosing to exhale the smoke in Ben’s general direction. Dave for once decided to intervene.

“Ben has a point; smoking pot probably isn’t the best thing for now. For one thing, we are in a police academy, legit any second a cop could come this way and arrest you. Secondly, you’re not in a good headspace, let’s get grounded and calm down before Diego comes, so he doesn’t kick you to the curb.” Klaus scoffed at Dave, before taking another huff of the marijuana.

“Fuck off, You don’t get an opinion.” Dave raised an eyebrow glancing at Klaus.

“Have I done something to upset you, Klaus?”

“You did nothing.”

“Okay… Then why are you giving me attitude?”

“Because you fucking did nothing! He hit me again and you just stood there. You’ve intervened before, why didn’t you today?”

“Klaus… Doll… You do realise I run off your powers right? I am only able to protect you when you allow me to. Without you, I can’t do anything.”

“Well, my powers are working full throttle so what’s your excuse?”

“Well, Klaus considering illicit substances limit your abilities, and there is currently a joint pressed between your lips, I am inclined to think you're lying.

“I am sober!”

“Maybe off your usual shit, but don’t think I haven’t noticed how you bribed nurses for painkillers and antipsychotics to get your fix.”

“Fuck you”

“Am I mistaken?” Klaus remained silent for a moment, before extinguishing his joint against the ground.

“I don’t see why you couldn’t try Dave. You know how much that man terrifies me.”

“Klaus, I am always trying. Do you think I enjoy being unable to do nothing? I wish I could! God, I wish I could… But it means nothing when I can’t even protect you from yourself”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean!?!”

“Klaus…”

“No. Screw you asshole!”

“Hey, Doll please don’t speak to me that way…” _It hurts…_

“Don’t doll me! I don’t get it! You’ve had your nose up my ass my entire life, but when I need you suddenly you aren’t there. Just fuck off.”

“Klaus…”

“I SAID LEAVE!” As Klaus screamed those words, their fists turned blue to match their heightened emotions and Dave began to feel strange. A large weight settled on his chest, as his connection to the living world turned foggy. It was like Dave was stuck behind glass, unable to be heard. He called Klaus’ name, but the only person who heard his call was Ben, who looked at him with a concerned expression.

Dave stumbled backwards in confusion, watching as his clothes morphed into his filthy old army uniform and the large gaping wound appeared on his chest. Did Klaus banish him? Sure, Dave had been helping Klaus work up the courage to try and fight off the other spirits and keep them at bay, but they had not exactly made any progress. But now, it was just like Klaus could not see him. Like he was an ordinary ghost trying to communicate with an ordinary human, and that thought scared Dave more so than anything else in existence. So he bolted, ran for the academy, hiding in Klaus’ bedroom, surrounded by the memorialized depression found within their walls.

_Consume everything, consume yourself._

_Wants, desires, nothing else matters._

_My skin crawls with seething visions of the night._

_It makes me feel dark + small._

_Electrify me, you cannot kill the willing to die._

_Obey obey obey oh you can obey._

_What is the truth of everything?_

_Sorry… I tried to wake up for you, but sleep took me again._

_Faceless and nameless…_

_How do I know who I am?_

The words swirled around him, but Dave knew he couldn’t react. After all, Klaus’s problems were worse than his own. Klaus was a teenager trying to cope with the trauma of abuse, dealing with addiction and suffering an identity crisis. What right did Dave have to complain? It wasn’t like his whole existence relied on Klaus! Except well, it kind of did. Klaus was the light of Dave’s life, his sun on a rainy day, the only thing that mattered, and without them, Dave would surely succumb to his destiny.

So, Dave screamed. He screamed, letting his voice echo through the halls and merge with the other ghosts which roamed the old building. He screamed for hours, clawing at his skin, begging for the little girl on the bike to take him now. But she denied him, and instead, Dave found himself on the floor, sobbing until tears fell no more. Soon, Dave entered a start of never-ending numbness, followed by activities of self-mutilation. It became an endless cycle, that Dave struggled to break out of. He cried until he was numb, did something stupid to feel again, and then repeat. It was enough to keep Dave going but as days merged into months, which merged into years, Dave finally had become the one thing he dreaded most; a ghost which Klaus would be afraid of. Whenever he wasn’t engaged in his little hell loop, Dave would be trying to get the attention of any or anything living. It was a fool’s game, but he was desperate. Things continued this way for over ten years until one day a familiar hooded figure had entered the room.

Ben had aged, most likely because of Klaus’s powers, but he still had the same kind eyes. He approached Dave with a sad smile, as Dave looked at him blankly.

“Hey Katz, how are you? Didn’t think you’d still be sticking around” Dave hummed a response, not processing he was being addressed until the moment had passed.

Suddenly, Dave spun on his heel, grabbing Ben roughly by the shoulders, as his eyes widened in shock. “You’re speaking to me! Me? Me right!” he gushed, shaking Ben excitedly. Ben raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on Dave and settling him.

“Don’t know anyone else by that name. Hey, are you okay?” As Ben spoke, Dave wrapped his arms around the younger man and sobbed into his hair. Ben relaxed instantly, pulling Dave into a tight embrace, enjoying the physical sensation of touch. “You’re okay… You're okay…”

After a while, the pair sat on the fire escape, watching the sunset in the distance. Dave shared the horrific mental decline he had taken since his isolation as Ben shared his loss of patience. Ben was a lot blunter now but considering he had spent the last decade only talking to a mentally unstable Klaus, Dave couldn’t blame him. After all, it wasn’t until the war that Klaus started to get their shit together.

Speaking of, Dave knew that time was around the corner. Ben had informed Dave on Reginald’s passing and the return of their time travelling brother; Five. So, it wouldn’t be long until Hazel and Cha Cha showed up, and the eventual kidnapping of Klaus would occur. As a result, Dave unable to do anything else patiently waited for the day Klaus would return and have the desire to bring him out of this banished state.

It took a few days, but eventually, Dave had found Klaus looking exactly like they had in Vietnam. Their hair was short, their goatee was trimmed, and their body was covered in tattoos. Dave saw Klaus mid-fight with Luther, discussing the shit Reginald had put their family through. But the conversation went pear shaped, resulting in Luther storming off in search for a high. Dave waited until Klaus had calmed from the interaction, before plopping on the couch beside them, hoping to reach them. But even though Dave’s dog tags hung loosely around Klaus’ neck, Dave’s hand phased through Klaus’ thigh and his words were not heard.

“Fuck Dave… I can’t do this” Klaus mumbled to themselves, pressing their fingers to their eyes, forcing back tears.

“I'm here Klaus, I’m here… You’ve just got to let me in” But Dave’s words only reached deaf ears.

Later that night, Ben and Klaus returned from a rave bar with a drunken Luther and some skinny white girl. Luther smothered her with kisses, causing her to giggle happily and Ben too gag in disgust. It was while this interaction occurred that Klaus left the group retreating to their bedroom. Fumbling through their possessions, Klaus ripped open the head of a stuffed unicorn, digging through the stuffing, searching for some pills. Ben popped in, standing by Dave as he stared at Klaus’s behaviour.

“What are you doing?” Ben asked Klaus, who spun on their heel to face their brother.

“Looking for drugs!” Klaus mumbled, tossing the unicorn to the side, before continuing their search.

“Don’t do it.” Ben sighed,

“I’m done listening to you. Just- Just go away! Go away please.” Klaus begged, their voice breaking slightly.

“I like the sober you!”

“Well, Sobriety is overrated!” Klaus shouted. Dave raised an eyebrow.

“They’re sober?” He asked as Ben gave a small nod in response.

“But look where it’s gotten you!” Ben encouraged as Klaus turned to stare their brother dead in the eyes.  
“Where has it gotten me, Ben? It has gotten me nowhere. My powers are fucking pointless, no matter how hard I try, I can’t talk to the person I love! And well, People still don’t take me seriously. So, what’s the point, Ben? I want to be numb again!”

“You’re a colossal wimp!”

“Oh really?” Klaus mumbled, lifting a loose floorboard and pulling out a small box. Ben snapped his fingers at his sibling, trying to gain their attention.

“Life isn’t supposed to be easy. Bad things happen, good people die!” Ben shouted as Klaus laughed.

“Wow playing the dead card again bro. You need new material.”

“I was talking about this dead boyfriend” Klaus froze, taking in a deep sharp breath. “Yeah…You’re right I’m sorry I’m sorry. I shouldn’t” Ben relaxed a little, walking towards Dave as he muttered a thank god. But Klaus was quick, smirked big and shouted “Sike!” before popping a found pill into their mouth.

Suddenly, Ben swung his fist, and sucker-punched Klaus, causing them to stumble back. The two made contact, the only ghost to ever manage that before was Dave. Dave nervously bit his lip, happy that Klaus’ powers were developing to the point that they could interact with Ben, but He could not help but feel jealous.

“You just Patrick swazied me!” Klaus cried as Ben stared at them in shock.

“Did you just do that?”

“Hmmm, yeah it happens when I’m sober, although only really happened before with Dave so I didn’t think much of I-” Klaus cut themselves off, taking a deep breath before breaking down in sobs. Ben immediately pulled them into his arms, finally able to provide his sibling with the physical affection they so desperately required. “I fucked up Benny, I lost him… I lost him…” As this happened, Dave chose to speak out

“Hey Ben, can you tell Klaus it’s not their fault I got shot.”

“Huh?” Ben spoke, glancing in Dave’s direction.

“Tell them that they aren’t responsible for my death,” Dave asked, watching as all the pieces fell in place inside Ben’s brain, as he made the connection between Dave and Klaus’s Vietnam lover. Ben repeated what Dave had asked, causing Klaus to freeze in shock.

“He’s here?” Klaus asked as Ben nodded.

“He never left.”

“Davey… I’m sorry… I wish I could see you.” Klaus whimpered, clutching Dave’s dog tags.

“Try summoning him again, focus on him, picture his face, imagine bringing him towards you,” Ben suggested. Klaus gave a small nod, blinking away tears and closing their eyes. As they did this, Dave watched as small blue sparks shot out of their hands, and suddenly the hazy glass window surrounding Dave shattered. Instantly, Dave felt a rush of energy surge through him and felt himself become calm and grounded.

Klaus nervously, peaked through their eyelids, afraid of the possible failure, but upon seeing Dave, they pried themselves from Ben and stumbled into their lover’s arms. Dave was afraid that Klaus would phase through him, but upon seeing the blue of their fists, Dave pushed back their fear and embraced them. Klaus mumbled a million apologies as Dave just kissed their head, humming quietly. Klaus relaxed within Dave’s arms, clinging to the Jewish man, as if afraid to let him go again. Dave noticing this reassured them.

“I'm not going anywhere, Klaus.”

“You promise?”

“I waited 50 years to see you again Doll, do you think you can get rid of me that easily?” Klaus smiled softly, pecking Dave’s lips. As they kissed, Dave’s wounds faded away and his clothes morphed into the familiar 60s attire. Klaus chuckled, burying their face in the crook of Dave’s neck.

“As soon as I arrived in the 60s and saw your face, and knew you must’ve meant more to me than I realised. I'm sorry I was an ass”

“Klaus, I would go through all your teenage temper tantrums a thousand more times if it meant I got to hold you like this again” Klaus blushed at Dave’s words and smiled softly

“I Love you, Katz”

“I love you too Hargreeves”

As they kissed, David couldn’t help but reflect on his earlier beliefs. Yes, it was true that the world was full of many problems, but it was also filled with many opportunities and solutions. It was just the way the universe operated. But regardless of his place in life, in the world, Dave found himself not stressing about this because it didn’t matter because although Dave had many problems, they paled into comparison with the gifts he had been given. Through pure fate, Dave had met a lover who denied all logistics of the universe. The pair crossed time for one another laughed in the face of death and still had ended up together, and for Dave, that was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> If you would like to follow me on other socials, feel free! I love talking to new people. This is my Instagram, twitter, tumblr and spotify all fall under the username @infamouspansy .
> 
> *** Also note  
> The Lullaby sung is 'Zolst Zayn Lebn" A popular Jewish nursery rhyme. In Yiddish this translates to: "Because to me you’re beautiful,  
> to me you have grace,  
> to me you’re one of a kind.
> 
> To me you’re great,  
> to me you have “it,”  
> to me you’re more precious than riches.  
> Many beautiful girls have wanted me,  
> and from all of them I chose only you.  
> Because to me you’re beautiful,  
> to me you have grace,  
> to me you’re one of a kind"


End file.
